


Joy and Chaos

by Storyteller1358



Category: Warehouse 13
Genre: Collection: Purimgifts Day 3, Gen, Jewish Character, Purim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-07
Updated: 2017-03-07
Packaged: 2018-09-30 09:40:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10160411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Storyteller1358/pseuds/Storyteller1358
Summary: Pete and Myka are sent to chase down an artifact that is bringing a little too much joy to Jerusalem.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hhertzof](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hhertzof/gifts).



**Sunday, March 6, 2011**

**Univille, SD**

“Don't get settled in. It's right back out the door with the two of you. We've got a ping in Jerusalem, and it looks like the situation is getting out of control already.”

Paul and Myka looked up at Artie as they walked in the door. Not even two seconds and Artie was already giving them an assignment. It must be bad.

“Whats going on?” Myka asked, placing her hand on her hip.

“Claudia noticed a disturbingly high number of accidents, auto, pedestrian, bicycle,” Artie said, shaking his head. “As well as a very high volume of reports of strange behavior. People are too...happy”

“No problem with that,” Pete said.

Myka shot him a look. Too happy was often a default state for Paul to her sometimes annoyance.

“Well, it is when it's causing them to do stupid things. Look into it. I've got you booked on a flight later today.”

“Any idea what the artifact is?” Myka asked.

“Not yet, but Claudia and I are researching it. Now go. Before the happiness gets any worse.”

They turned and headed back out the door to pack.

“Too happy,” Pete muttered as they left. “I still don't see what the problem is.”

 

**Tuesday, March 8, 2011**

**Jerusalem, Israel**

“They say that they're not drunk,” the officer told them. “But they are, everyone of them. I'd think they were all lying – it is close to Purim, but they all look so shocked when I tell them their BAC”. He took off for his car, without sparing them an extra glance.

“Drunk, but without drinking? Definitely sounds like an artifact to me,” Myka said, looking at Pete.

“Sounds like one I should stay far away from,” he groaned. “That's going to be tough to explain to my sponsor.” He paused then added “What's that Purim thing he mentioned?”

Before Myka had a chance to answer, the Farnsworth rang. Pete and Myka settled onto a bench outside the stone building as Artie's face came into view.

“I think I've got a lead,” he told them, almost smiling. “But first, tell me what you've found out.”

“Hardly anything. We only got in a few hours ago and communication isn't exactly ideal.”

“Language problems?” Artie asked.

“More like culture problems. The few people we've talked to speak at least some English, but I get the sense there's a lot of cultural references we're missing,” Myka informed him.

“All we've really gotten is that there are a lot of drunk people with no idea that they were drunk or how they became drunk. Maybe it messes with memory?”

“If I'm right, it may be simpler than that. I've found a record of a scepter causing trouble a few hundred years ago, but the previous warehouse never managed to get their hands on it. If I'm right, it's King Ahashveroush's scepter. It causes an increase in joy, recklessness, and intoxication and is particularly active in the time of year right before the holiday of Purim, which is in just a few weeks.”

 

**Thursday, March 10, 2011**

**Plane over the Atlantic**

Once they knew what they were looking for, Myka and Pete had figured it would be easy to find the scepter. After all, how many scepters could there be? And yet, they had found themselves chasing down false lead after false lead. It seemed that every costume shop was active currently and all of them carried scepters galore.

“In case children want to actually dress up as Ahashveroush” the cashier at one of the costume stores had told them.

“Great,” Pete had mumbled on his way out. “Not only are there scepters everywhere, but half of them are going to be called Ahashveroush's.”

Nevertheless they had found it eventually after a report of a school full of drunk students. One of them had found it a few weeks ago, but couldn't recall where, and had brought it in on a dress up day. In the meantime, it had been affecting the whole city to varying degrees. Not only had the scepter sparked tremendously when placed into the bag, but it had released a rain of confetti and sweets. The children had swept up all the candies before Pete and Myka even had a chance to figure out whether they were safe to eat, but they had all been doing okay when they left, so Pete and Myka decided not to worry about it.

Now they were stuck on a plane for the second time in three days, with a scepter stuffed in a bag in the overhead bin. Hopefully it would stay sealed well. They didn't want to imagine the disaster if the scepter were to get loose on the plane.

“Well,” Myka said. “Might as well use the time to get our reports written.”

"Absolutely not,” Pete replied. “I'm going to use the time to read and try and figure out how to get Artie to spring for Business class next time we have to fly around the world.

“Still, all in all, not a bad case,” Myka remarked as she settled in to do her report.

 

**Saturday, March 19, 2011**

**Univille, SD**

“Hi Artie”

Artie looked up in surprise and quickly stuffed something into his bag. Paul and Myka stared at him in shock. Artie was taking an artifact?

“What do you have there?' Paul asked, a smug smile spreading across his face.

“Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I can't imagine why you'd think I have anything...” he rambled.

Myka raised an eyebrow at him, trying not to laugh. Artie might be brilliant, but he was less then subtle when feeling guilty.

“Oh fine. It's the scepter. Everyone at shul is so uptight, even on Purim.” They stared at him in shock.

“But you always say we can't use artifacts,” Paul blurted out.

“Yes, well, that's usually the case. But this is different. It's what this one was made for. It'll be back tomorrow night. Besides,” he said with finality, “what's Purim without a little rule-breaking?”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Apologies for any poor characterization - it's been a bit since I watched Warehouse 13, but I just loved the chance to actually write about Purim for Purimgifts!


End file.
